Abstract
In this study, polyamide (PA)-zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposite membrane was fabricated by embedding various amounts of ZnO nanoparticles (ranging from zero to 1.0 wt%) into the membrane matrix. Interfacial polymerization method was used to prepare thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes for forward osmosis (FO) application. The effect of ZnO nanoparticles on the chemical structures and compositions of synthesized membranes was studied using FT-IR spectroscopy, atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, the performance of the fabricated membranes (water flux) and hydrophilicity were investigated using NaCl powder solution and contact angle measurements, respectively. Experimental results showed that the water flux of prepared membranes remarkably enhanced after the addition of ZnO nanoparticles. All as-prepared TFN membranes exhibited an enhanced desalination performance in FO systems as compared to the original thin-film composite (TFC) polyamide membrane.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
